Ringlike closure remover with internal grooves



March 17, 1953 F. E. RINEHART RINGLIKE CLOSURE REMOVER WITH INTERNAL GROOVES Filed May 7, 1949 FIG. I

FIG. 2

FIG. 6"

FIG.

INVENTOR. FEEDER/0K E. Rl/VEHART Patented Mar. 17, 1953 RINGLIKE CLOSURE REMOVER WITH INTERNAL GROOVES Frederick E. Rinehart, Columbus, Ohio Application May "'1, 1949, Serial No. 91,987

1 The invention disclosed in relates to improvements in bottle openers.

Prior hereto" similar: articles have been devised for the purposes of removing closures from and/or attaching closures to bottles and'other similar containers. Myinvention comprises mrprovements upon such prior art devices. 'I have found that when a bottle-opener is formed as an annulus of ahollow. frusto-conical shape and is formed with ribson, or grooves in. the inner sur- 'face,thereof,.corks and similar closures may be readily removed from bottles and (provided that the ribs and/or grooves are properly positioned and directed), the cellophane or other plastic material which" is customarily used to fasten the 2 Claims. (01. 81-34) this application closure 'in the bottles. may be readily sheared therefrom and the container readily opened.

While it'is possible to remove such closure when the ribs and/or grooves'extend in a' direction parallel with the axis of the frusto-conical annulus, yet for more perfect action (as will be later explained), it is desirable that the ribs and/or grooves should slant not only with the taper of the device, but also around the inside of annulus, as for example, from left to right.

One object of my invention is the provision of a bottle opener of relatively simple construction which is economical to manufacture and efficient and positive in action.

A further object of my invention is the provision 'of a bottle opener so arranged that it would readily grip and remove closures of bottles and will shear the cellophane or other plastic material by which such closures are usually fastened.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the subjoined specification and claims, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate two embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a bottle opener constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the bottle opener shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the bottle opener shown in Fi 1;

Fig. 4 is an expanded view of the inside of the bottle opener shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an expanded view of the interior of an alternative form of the bottle opener; and

Fig. 6 is an expanded view of the interior of another alternative form of bottle opener.

Referring to the drawings it may be seen that I have shown a bottle opener designated as H.

This bottle opener II is in the form of. a frusto conicalring formed with a knurled outer surface as at l2 and with grooves in its innersu'rface such as the grooves [3. The diameter of the ring II at the top it is less than the diameter of the bottom l5 and both the inner surface and the outer surface of the device H are tapered asis shown in the drawings. The grooves l3 not only slant with the taper, but also as is shown mor clearly in Fig. 4, slant from left toright around the circumference of the inner surface of thedevice for purposes which will later be explained Both the upper end (top) andthe lower end (bottom) of the device H are entirely open so that the closure member when taken from the bottle or other container, may be easily {removed from the opener.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the interior on an expanded showing of a modification of the opener shown in Figs. 1 to 4','in which it will be noticed that the grooves 23 of the ring 2! do not slant from left to right from the top 2 3 to the bottom 25. The grooves l3 and 23 are not exactly parallel, although the departure thereof from a parallel arrangement is so slight that it is scarcely discernible in the drawings. The reason for the lack of parallelism is the taper of the rings l3 and 23 whereby the spacing of the grooves at the bottom of the rings is wider than the spacing at the top.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated the interior on an expanded showing of another modification. The grooves 33 of the ring 3| slant from the right at the top 34 to the left at the bottom 35. Of course the direction of the slant is determined by the direction in which the opener is to be turned in removing the closure from the container.

In the manufacture of my improved bottle opener I cut rings from tubular stock which as cut are true annuli and are not tapered from top to bottom. I then expand the lower part of this ring by forcing a tapered countersunk die into it under high pressure thus increasing the diameter of the ring at the bottom and to a lesser degree as the die approaches the top of the ring on the inside. The diameter is also increased although possibly to a lesser extent on the outside of the ring. The grooves are then formed on the inner surface by means of a drill having corresponding ridges, the drill being forced through the inner surface of the ring with a slight turning movement. The ring is then case-hardened and finally polished to remove oxidation,, e c.

thus turns the cork, cap, or other closure for the:

bottle, shearing the cellophane or other protective plastic and removing the closure and' pl'ast'ic cleanly therefrom. The slant of the groovesmay be considered as a screw of veryslightlpitch and.

thus it is clear that the turning action of the opener causes a tightening of the'- openeruponv the closure because the screw forces the ring,

downward thus creating a wedging action there'- of due to the taper and a firm gripping of the cork, 'cap" or other" closure. Thusthe closure is re'adilvremoved at the sametime causing 'a shearing of the" plasticfastener; If the grooves do not'islantor slant onlysli'ghtly; theopenerwill not operate as efficiently to grip-the closure.

'wedgin'g' and gripping thereof than" can be ac compli'shed by the" preferred form" shown'in Figs. 1 to 4. However, fairly-satisfactory'results may be accomplished thereby;

'It'is' to. be understoo'dithatf the above described embodiments of my invention are for the purpose of illustration only and various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A bottle opener comprising an inflexible metallic ring formed with a taper and provided with a plurality, of separated slanting, grooves on theinner surface thereof which=slant around the inner surface. 1

2. An improvement in bottle openers comprising an inflexible ring substantially annular in shape but: tapering from the bottom to the top and being formed on its inner surface with a plurality of. separated tapering and slanting grooves which slant in a counter-clockwise direction;from':the'=wider end of the ring toward the smaller end thereof around the inner surface to formarr internal screw, the pitch of said screw being very large.

' FREDERICK E; RINEI-IART.

. REFERENCES l CITE-D;-

The following references are-of record" the file of this patent:

- UN ITED. STATES... PATENTS.

Number" J Name: Date:

- 855,982- Rich- June 4 .1907 1,752,189 Liotz Mar; 25,1930 1,924,579" Waterhousei. Aug.129,r1933 11954.422 McIntyre Apr; 1 0'; .1934 960,531 Driscollv May;'29, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country; Date:

.808 Great Britain-.... Jan; 13, 189.3 633,574 Germany :May 8, a 1935 44,336 Netherlands Sept..17,.19.38 

